According to Wednesday’s episode of “UFC Tonight,” the 205-pound
clash will determine the division’s next No. 1 contender. UFC
champion Jon Jones is
currently slated to defend his belt against Glover
Teixeira later this month at UFC 172, and Alexander
Gustafsson will then receive first crack at the title. The
winner of Gustafsson’s title bid would then presumably defend the
belt against either Cormier or Henderson.

UFC 175 takes place July 5 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las
Vegas and will be headlined by a middleweight title tilt pitting
reigning champion Chris
Weidman against former light heavyweight ruler Lyoto
Machida.

Cormier was initially linked to a matchup with onetime Strikeforce
champion Rafael
Cavalcante, but that booking was apparently set aside in favor
of the Henderson matchup. A two-time Olympian, Cormier began his
MMA career with 13 consecutive heavyweight victories before
dropping to 205 pounds for UFC 170, where he ended Patrick
Cummins’ night in just 79 seconds.

Henderson got back on track in his last bout after suffering three
straight losses for the first time in his career. The 43-year-old
headlined UFC Fight Night 39 on March 23, weathering an early storm
from Mauricio Rua
to knock out “Shogun” in the third round of their anticipated
rematch.